crista on the road to recovery

[crista]

I hope you are getting progressively everyday. I understand from what I hearThat there be some bad days in between but they will lessen as time goes by.Keep us postedLexy

Thank you, Lexy.  Yes, some days are worse than others.  I'll be ok. 

Take care!

Crista

[Janie]

Hi Crista how are you doing now?  I am curious about Lyme and fear I might have it in addition to protracted WD.  What treatment are you getting for the Lyme?  How is it working? Did you experience Herxheimer reaction? Do you have a Lyme literate doctor? 

 

I hope your are continuing to improve.and doing much better!

 

Take care.

 

 

 

[crista]

Hi Crista how are you doing now?  I am curious about Lyme and fear I might have it in addition to protracted WD.  What treatment are you getting for the Lyme?  How is it working? Did you experience Herxheimer reaction? Do you have a Lyme literate doctor? 

 

I hope your are continuing to improve.and doing much better!

 

Take care.

Hello,

 

Honestly, I'm not doing well right now.  I was on antibiotics for over 5 months and I was developing ulcers and my liver was shutting down so I had to stop.  I am now trying the Marshall Protocol and I'm experiencing a lot of herxes.  You can read all about my Lyme story HERE.  I also post facts about Lyme Disease, inspirational photos, and gluten-free recipes (it is good for people with Lyme to cut gluten and sugar etc).  I would definitely recommend getting a a Lyme Literate Doctor and getting checked.  HERE is some info on how to get tested.

 

Crista

[Janie]

Thanks for your update and all the good links. I wish you well with the Marshall protocol!!! You have suffered a lot and been very strong to endure so much for so long. I admire you for posting your story and trying to get the word out about Lyme Disease.   I hope and pray for your recovery, and that  your story will help others get the help they need early on.

 

I think you said you wonder how much of your symptoms are from Lyme and how much from withdrawal.  I am wondering if some of us have had lyme for years and didn't know it.  And when we stop the AD, it somehow allows the lyme to present itself.  I know that any  stress can increase lyme flare ups.  So maybe the AD's were keeping us somewhat calm and the lyme somewhat in check, until we withdrew.  I found an article that said "antidepressants can result in antibiotic effects, and antibiotics can have antidepressant effects." http://www.mentalhealthandillness.com/Articles/LymeDepressionAndSuicide.htm  see second to last paragraph. 

 

Your story describes many problems for a long time. I'm unclear on which AD's you were on and when you stopped.  Did your symptoms increase upon stopping AD?  

 

I'm trying to figure out how protracted withdrawal syndrome symptoms are same or different from the psychiatric and other lyme symptoms.  Most lyme sites mention anxiety and numbness and tingling, depression, and tinnitus, sensitivity to light and sound, brain fog and slow thinking, forgetfulness.  All similar symptoms to WD syndrome.  What about twitching, nerve sparks, internal vibration, auditory hallucinations, brain zaps!  These might be more indicative of WD syndrome and NOT lyme.    Although lyme seems to USUALLY involve joint aches and tiredness, that can be an earlier stage that subsides or not be present. Only when the brain and nerve effects take hold are some people diagnosed with lyme. I believe these are typical of the 2nd or 3rd stages of Lyme.

 

Also, if a person had both lyme and protracted withdrawal, and started lyme treatment, it would be hard to know if the lyme has been fully treated.  One  might still be left with the WD symptoms, even if lyme is eradicated.  I suppose one would wait until the herx symptoms subside to assume the Lyme has died off?  But at the same time you could be having windows and waves from protracted WD.  It seem it would be very hard to know what is what (herx or a bad wave) and if the lyme treatment is working.

[Altostrata]

Thank you for letting us know about the Lyme info. Wishing you good healing, crista.

[crista]

Thanks for your update and all the good links. I wish you well with the Marshall protocol!!! You have suffered a lot and been very strong to endure so much for so long. I admire you for posting your story and trying to get the word out about Lyme Disease.   I hope and pray for your recovery, and that  your story will help others get the help they need early on.

 

I think you said you wonder how much of your symptoms are from Lyme and how much from withdrawal.  I am wondering if some of us have had lyme for years and didn't know it.  And when we stop the AD, it somehow allows the lyme to present itself.  I know that any  stress can increase lyme flare ups.  So maybe the AD's were keeping us somewhat calm and the lyme somewhat in check, until we withdrew.  I found an article that said "antidepressants can result in antibiotic effects, and antibiotics can have antidepressant effects." http://www.mentalhealthandillness.com/Articles/LymeDepressionAndSuicide.htm  see second to last paragraph. 

 

Your story describes many problems for a long time. I'm unclear on which AD's you were on and when you stopped.  Did your symptoms increase upon stopping AD?  

 

I'm trying to figure out how protracted withdrawal syndrome symptoms are same or different from the psychiatric and other lyme symptoms.  Most lyme sites mention anxiety and numbness and tingling, depression, and tinnitus, sensitivity to light and sound, brain fog and slow thinking, forgetfulness.  All similar symptoms to WD syndrome.  What about twitching, nerve sparks, internal vibration, auditory hallucinations, brain zaps!  These might be more indicative of WD syndrome and NOT lyme.    Although lyme seems to USUALLY involve joint aches and tiredness, that can be an earlier stage that subsides or not be present. Only when the brain and nerve effects take hold are some people diagnosed with lyme. I believe these are typical of the 2nd or 3rd stages of Lyme.

 

Also, if a person had both lyme and protracted withdrawal, and started lyme treatment, it would be hard to know if the lyme has been fully treated.  One  might still be left with the WD symptoms, even if lyme is eradicated.  I suppose one would wait until the herx symptoms subside to assume the Lyme has died off?  But at the same time you could be having windows and waves from protracted WD.  It seem it would be very hard to know what is what (herx or a bad wave) and if the lyme treatment is working.

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement.  As for WD syndrome vs Lyme Disease, it looks like a lot of the symptoms are the same but most of what I feel is definitely Lyme.  I know this because I've had these crazy symptoms since I was 5.  They increased and became dibilitating shortly after getting off of Effexor, leading me to initially believe that withdrawl was the culprit.  Also, my mom was also diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I was experiencing stress everywhere I turned.   Looks like it caused a Lyme flare up.  No way of knowing for sure but my guess would be it's all or mostly Lyme. 

[crista]

Thank you for letting us know about the Lyme info. Wishing you good healing, crista.

Thank you! 

[Janie]

That is very interesting that the symptoms increased upon withdrawal from effexor. Would you say the physical (joint and aches) symptoms increased and/or was it the psychological  symptoms that increased? 

 

I have some strange neurological symptoms that don't seem to be mentioned on this site as normal protracted withdrawal symptoms, so I'm suspicious of lyme.  I may get with a lyme literate doctor to try to sort it out, except that he will probably not be knowledgable about WD syndrome so I fear he will jump to a lyme conclusion. Guess I should just wait and see what he thinks.

 

Also important to realize lyme can flair up with stress.

 

How is the Marshal protocol going? Are you still experiencing herx or is that over?

[ChessieCat]

Hi there,

 

The staff at SA are wondering how you are.  We'd love to hear how you are doing now.   Would you mind dropping by and giving an update?

 

Thanks.

CC